Covid-19 lockdown: Over 3,000 migrant labourers stranded in Andhra Pradesh

The 21-day lockdown imposed to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease has left over 3,000 migrant labourers in Prakasam district of Andhra Pradesh stranded.

The Prakasam district police refused to let the stranded labourers at the check post on Kurnool-Guntur highway to enter the district as per the lockdown instructions.

The migrant labourers were seen waiting in their respective vehicles following queue of trucks. These labourers usually migrate to Guntur district during the red chilly harvest season.

With few transport options available, thousands of people in some regions of the country, mostly labourers have resorted to commuting on foot during the lockdown.

This came after Modi had on Tuesday announced a 21-day lockdown in the entire country effective from midnight to deal with spread of the coronavirus, saying that " social distancing" is the only option to deal with the disease, which spreads rapidly.

Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh government distributed free ration to the poor for the month of April in Krishna district in wake of COVID-19 lockdown.